#hamchallenge
LightNews LightNews
n8dmt.mastodon.radio.ap.brid.gy
@hamchallenge #hamchallenge HC03

Not expecting to have a two-way trans-continent 80m QSO (no outside antennas), but setup instead to listen to what might be heard here. (If you can hear them, MAYBE you can work them?) Setup is ICOM IC-705 with indoor […]

[Original post on mastodon.radio]
Indoor ham station with IC-705 and CHA F-Loop 3 mag loop antenna. Screen grab of received FT-8 receive signals overnight at EN52 showing USA, Canada, and Mexico received stations.
January 14, 2025 at 1:12 PM
n8dmt.mastodon.radio.ap.brid.gy
@hamchallenge HC06S

First RTTY contact in many many years. Used built-in RTTY functions on the IC-705 with indoor magnetic loop antenna.

~2150 UTC, WN7M 28.08537 received 599 366, sent 599 001 001

Fun with #hamradio #hamchallenge
February 8, 2025 at 10:06 PM
9v1rt.f.rolandturner.com.ap.brid.gy
Although I've not managed to complete any of @hamchallenge to date, I feel that an IOTA activation barely a week after the proposed week for #hc29s is worth tooting :-)

The 9V1IO[TA] team[1] performed our customary "Island Station - DXpedition" activation […]

[Original post on f.rolandturner.com]
4 people around a picnic table, with tents, overlooking water. A red sunrise in the distance. 5 people around a picnic table, 1 operating a radio.
July 28, 2025 at 2:09 PM
mischk.bunt.social.ap.brid.gy
@DC4LW @hamchallenge I also tried some other 10m repeaters more far away (Moscow, England, France), but nobody answered or could even hear me...
March 2, 2025 at 2:47 PM
n8dmt.mastodon.radio.ap.brid.gy
@VE7WYC Would not be too hard to build “one” of those using PVC pipe with #12 copper (house) wiring inside. Use radials instead of ground screen. Might be fun to simulate in the upcoming HC19 #hamchallenge “simulate an antenna” activity. @hamchallenge #hamradio (edited)
Bill VE7WYC (@VE7WYC@mstdn.ca)
132 Posts, 206 Following, 136 Followers · Moved here from mastodon.radio. Active amateur radio operator. Linux dabbler. Proud citizen of the non-annexed and independently-ruled country of Canada 🇨🇦!
mstdn.ca
March 19, 2025 at 3:32 PM
dh1tw.bsky.social
Have you already signed up for the 52 weeks Ham challenge? hamchallenge.org

#hamr #amateurradio
The 52 Week Ham Radio Challenge 2025 - Homepage
52 weeks, 52 challenges. The #hamchallenge is meant to inspire you to extend your horizon in amateur radio by weekly challenges that touch all aspects of ham radio.
hamchallenge.org
December 31, 2024 at 11:03 AM
mcdanlj.social.makerforums.info.ap.brid.gy
@hamchallenge I encouraged two family members to prep for a local test session coming soon. One was initially just going for Technician, but now is studying to take General at the same time and has passed a sample test. The other is seriously considering joining the test party. 🎉

HC08S
February 17, 2025 at 1:33 PM
n8dmt.mastodon.radio.ap.brid.gy
#hamchallenge HC45S @hamchallenge Completed repair of Yaesu CD-41 drop in charger base that had a failed Q2 FET within (green light on always). Have had this occur on another CD-41 and replaced Q2 successfully following video guide from Jim AG6IF. A quick […]

[Original post on mastodon.radio]
CD-41 charging base exhibiting the dreaded "GREEN LED STUCK ON" problem (blown Q2 within). Inside PCB view of the CD-41 drop in charger. Close up of the SOT-23 Q2 FET on the board in between the contacts. Post repair photo showing the red LED on and the battery charging in the charger base. Success!
March 18, 2025 at 7:23 PM
kg6nlw.bsky.social
Like @hamradio2dot0.bsky.social has done, I am issuing a challenge! This stemmed from a livestream about 2 meters!!

Key up on 2m Simplex daily & more! Tell your ham friends, tell your clubs, let's get 2m active again!

youtube.com/shorts/6cvbn...

#hamradio #amateurradio #challenge #hamchallenge
Ham Radio Challenge: Boost Simplex Activity Now! #shorts
YouTube video by Ham Radio Wilderness w/Frank (KG6NLW)
youtube.com
October 2, 2025 at 8:01 PM
mcdanlj.social.makerforums.info.ap.brid.gy
I previously marked the #amateurradio @hamchallenge HC06S because I participated in SST, but now I've actually submitted Cabrillo logs to VA QSO party and CQ WW WPX (SSB) contests. Only to make sure that others get their points and for practice, since I had 5 CW QSOs in the VA QSO party and 12 […]
Original post on social.makerforums.info
social.makerforums.info
April 1, 2025 at 1:31 AM
kd0cov.mastodon.hams.social.ap.brid.gy
This week's #hamchallenge I might be able to handle. I did a little updating to my QRZ.com page that I just started the other day. Got a photo my potential QSL card. Even listed my Mastodon account:

https://www.qrz.com/db/KD0COV

Come say hi, come confirm my logs -- say hi if I logged you and […]
Original post on mastodon.hams.social
mastodon.hams.social
January 28, 2025 at 5:41 AM
mcdanlj.social.makerforums.info.ap.brid.gy
@hamchallenge #hc43s I've published several 3D printable designs for #hamradio, all designed with #freecad.

My favorite is my single-paddle key system which I use regularly. I own Kent and Putikeeg keys, and still use my own creation most. I even […]

[Original post on social.makerforums.info]
3d-printed morse code key parts, ready to assemble Assembled and connected morse code key with hand-hold cover QRP Linked dipole on a 3d printed winder base, made with 26awg wire, 1.5mm shock cord, RG316 coax, and 7 turns on a 0.82" ferrite choke. This is an earlier version of the winder; the latest version has the ability to build your choice of an SO239 or BNC connector instead of integral coax, if you want. QRP dual-tapped unun that can be used with EFHW (49:1) or EFRW (9:1) depending on which of the red terminals the antenna wire is connected to. The purple terminal is for counterpoise either way. The coax is RG316.
October 21, 2025 at 12:59 AM
mischk.bunt.social.ap.brid.gy
Maybe I try to work the repeater whenever I set up an antenna for 10m. However, I ended up activating the park (DE-0169) and had some nice DX Contacts with north american stations and UAE. #amateurfunk #amateurradio #pota #draussenfunker #hamchallenge
Map of the world, Green and Red points in Europe, America and UAE, showing the different stations I had contact with
February 24, 2025 at 8:39 PM
n8dmt.mastodon.radio.ap.brid.gy
#hamchallenge HC33S Build an antenna and make a contact with it.
@hamchallenge
Built a 2m halo horizontally polarized loop antenna to try to make local 2m SSB contacts. Referred to KP4MD’s QSL webpage on halo antennas. Used #14 solid wire and a SO-239 […]

[Original post on mastodon.radio]
Photo of NanoVNA-H4 measuring VSWR of the DIY 2 meter Halo antenna. VSWR is 1.36:1 at 144.200 MHz fed with a 12 foot length of RG-58C coax. Holding overhead photograph of the DIY 2 meter Halo antenna. Antenna is about 12 inches in diameter. Another photograph of the DIY 2m Halo antenna constructed from #14 house wire. Photograph showing details of the feed and matching. Wire ends are separated by about 1/4" and held in place with a cut-off zip tie length with additional zip ties holding the wire to the separator.
March 17, 2025 at 7:33 PM
n8dmt.mastodon.radio.ap.brid.gy
https://mas.to/@hamchallenge@mas.to HC13S Visited a local senior care center and made a 5’th floor elevated low power 2m K9IIK repeater FM QSO with John K9WIC. Repeater was to the North, vantage point was looking South (with lots of building structure […]

[Original post on mastodon.radio]
Ham radio walkie-talkie in front of a window overlooking ponds and a golf course. Window is elevated and horizon is evident.
March 15, 2025 at 8:37 PM
mcdanlj.social.makerforums.info.ap.brid.gy
Squeaking in at the end of @hamchallenge week #hc29s — I played #pota today, hunting CW park-to-park, to test my new QRP linked dipole, entirely of my own design. Used a 10oz throw weight to put a slippery UHMWPE line over a branch and pull the dipole […]

[Original post on social.makerforums.info]
Map of QSOs on 5–15W of power, on 15m, 20m, and 40m, from Umstead State Park US-2755 near Raleigh, North Carolina Linked dipole with links for 10, 12, 15, 17, 20, 30, and 40 meters in 24AWG silicone wire, and 5m of 2mm shock cord to pull into an inverted V, with about 30m of RG316 coax with an SMA connector on one end, and a 7-turn common-mode choke / balun wound on a FT82-31 toroid, all mounted to a 5mm-thick 3D-printed winder form. One of the shock cords is wrapped around the winder and coax loop, making a tidy bundle.
July 19, 2025 at 8:14 PM
n8dmt.mastodon.radio.ap.brid.gy
@hamchallenge HC46S Write a useful computer program. Created SW interface to read a Mini-Circuits ZX47-55 RF Detector using an Digilent AD3 interface module. Used free LabVIEW Community Edition for programming environment. SW provides a nice stable readout of […]

[Original post on mastodon.radio]
Screen capture of LabVIEW program displaying detected RF level from ZX47-55 module. Program also provides mW and uW output levels. Module reads levels very quickly, with an average across 100 samples used for the display. Screen capture showing program setup parameters, including turning on the +5V DC supply, and setup/init for the two scope channels used for RF Power and Temperature inputs. Main loop for the program showing loop init, data capture and read output, conversion and formatting, and read DC supply output. Loop runs continuously until front panel stop button is pressed. Screen capture of loop closeout functions (after stop button is pressed) which turns off +5V supply and closes out scope functions to allow a clean program start up thereafter.
May 25, 2025 at 3:13 PM
n8dmt.mastodon.radio.ap.brid.gy
@hamchallenge #hamchallenge HC36S Operate your station from battery power for a day. GoalZero Escape150 powered my IC-705 station for the day. Not a lot of transmitting (busy with other things), but battery still more than half-full after 10 hours. Will use […]

[Original post on mastodon.radio]
Photo showing Goal Zero Escape 150 battery pack connected to DIY volt/amp monitoring setup. Battery powering ICOM IC-705 station listening on 10 meters. Photo of ICOM IC-705 tuned to 20 meters.
May 14, 2025 at 8:26 PM
n8dmt.mastodon.radio.ap.brid.gy
@hamchallenge Looking over the listing shows HC28 to be of interest (working 6m ES-skip is always fun). Issue is that my indoor mag loop does not cover 6m (only up to 10m).

Need to set a mental reminder to review this challenge again after setting up a temp OUTDOOR antenna over 2024 ARRL Field […]
Original post on mastodon.radio
mastodon.radio
May 8, 2025 at 7:42 PM
n8dmt.mastodon.radio.ap.brid.gy
@hamchallenge HC18S Make a contact in digital voice mode. Completed a digital voice QSO on 8-May-2025 with Jim, WB8HMD on DMR digital via the K9VI Crystal Lake, IL repeater. Used TriStateDMR Talk Group 4649 (network) and TG 8 (local RF, TS1 CC04).
#hamchallenge #hamradio #dmr #tristatedmr
HamChallenge Bot (@hamchallenge@mas.to)
453 Posts, 70 Following, 167 Followers · #bot for the 52 Weeks Ham Radio Challenge 2025
mas.to
May 8, 2025 at 7:42 PM
n8dmt.mastodon.radio.ap.brid.gy
@hamchallenge HC17S What VHF/UHF repeater is closest to your location (and how did you determine this)?

Using RepeaterBook App on iPad with GPS enabled yielded my location in the title bar, then searched for closest repeaters of any type to meet this challenge.

Closest repeater at 5.3 Miles NE […]
Original post on mastodon.radio
mastodon.radio
April 24, 2025 at 2:17 PM
n8dmt.mastodon.radio.ap.brid.gy
@hamchallenge HC34S Match an Impedance. Successfully matched 36 Ohms to 50 Ohms at 7 MHz. Created a quick posting with the two solutions over at https://qsl.net/n8dmt/ham-challenge-hc34-match-an-impedance/index.html (Did not want to be spoiler to those who […]

[Original post on mastodon.radio]
Screen grab of first matching approach results showing 50 Ohm to 36 Ohm match. Screen grab of second matching approach results showing 50 Ohm to 36 Ohm match.
April 8, 2025 at 8:15 PM
n8dmt.mastodon.radio.ap.brid.gy
@hamchallenge HC19S Put together a quick post on how to create a simple 10m half wave dipole antenna simulation in AN-SOF (free trial SW) on my Win11 ham PC. https://qsl.net/n8dmt/an-sof-simulation-of-a-10m-free-space-dipole/index.html

Will work on a 1/4 wave […]

[Original post on mastodon.radio]
Far Field antenna pattern for the 1/2 wave 10 meter vertical center fed dipole.
April 6, 2025 at 7:51 PM
n8dmt.mastodon.radio.ap.brid.gy
@quantensalat @hamchallenge HC22
Yes, it’s a trade between output stage designs (lots of ways to implement output bias for M1 & M2). It’s a fun circuit simulation and supports RF learning in many ways! Thanks & 73
HamChallenge Bot (@hamchallenge@mas.to)
359 Posts, 70 Following, 140 Followers · #bot for the 52 Weeks Ham Radio Challenge 2025
mas.to
March 31, 2025 at 4:36 PM